JP2009230343A - Drive recorder device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve a drive recorder device for storing much more detail information related with an accident when an accident occurs. <P>SOLUTION: A drive recorder device is provided with: a photographic means for photographing the periphery of a self-vehicle; an approach detection means for acquiring an object approaching the self-vehicle; a collision detection means for detecting the collision against the self-vehicle; and a storage means for storing a video photographed by the photographic means. Each of the photographic means is switched to a first photographic mode for performing normal photographing and a second photographic mode for performing much more detail photographing, and when the approaching object is detected by the approach detection means, the first photographic mode is switched to the second photographic mode, and during the period of time when prescribed decision conditions are established, the first storage means is made to store a video photographed in the second photographic mode, then the stored video is transferred to the second storage means, which is made to store and save the transferred video, and then the first storage means is made to store the video photographed in the first photographic mode. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a drive recorder device that is useful for analyzing the cause of an accident by photographing the vehicle traveling before and after the occurrence of the vehicle accident.

  Conventionally, a vehicle drive recorder device is a device for analyzing the cause of the occurrence of a vehicle accident, and by recording vehicle sensor signals indicating vehicle running conditions such as vehicle speed, acceleration, brake pressure, steering angle, etc. before and after the occurrence of the accident, This is to analyze the running state of the vehicle.

  In addition, a device has been proposed that is equipped with a camera that captures the environment around the vehicle and records images before and after the accident to analyze the situation at the time of the accident in more detail. The above device, for example, compresses the running camera image, records the oldest image in a ring buffer structure in a sequential manner so that it is updated sequentially, and receives the signal of the collision detection sensor that detects the occurrence of an accident. Sometimes, recording to the memory is stopped, and a recorded video of a predetermined time before and after the reception time is transferred to a recording storage unit.

  However, in such a conventional drive recorder device, for example, when an accident such as a escaping accident is encountered, the behavior of the escaping vehicle before and after the rear-end collision cannot be fully captured, and there is insufficient information on the escaping vehicle. There was a problem that it was difficult to identify the escape vehicle.

  Therefore, in order to solve such a problem, in Patent Document 1, a video image written in an image memory in synchronization with a reference signal is recorded in a camera image that captures a front and rear landscape of the vehicle, so that the front and rear images of the vehicle are always simultaneously recorded. Since it can be recorded, before the rear-end collision occurs, the characteristics of the vehicle such as the type of the escaping vehicle, the color of the vehicle, and the license plate can be photographed in advance, and after the rear-end collision, the escaping direction of the escaping vehicle can be photographed It can be used to detect the escape vehicle.

JP 2004-224105 A

  However, in Patent Document 1, since all the vehicle front and rear scenery before and after the rear-end collision must be stored in the image memory, even image information unnecessary for the accident analysis is stored.

  In other words, in the state where no accident has occurred, it is image information that is completely unnecessary for accident analysis, but for the reason that it does not know when the rear-end collision will occur, we will continue to take pictures around the vehicle, and if an accident occurs, we will do it later It is saved as image information along with the video for accident analysis.

  However, in accident analysis, all stored image information must be investigated, and the state where no accident has occurred (normal state) must also be observed. Therefore, not only the image information at the time of the occurrence of the accident, but also the image information in the normal state is investigated, and there is a problem that the accident analysis takes time. Moreover, since the video about the normal state until the occurrence of the accident is stored as image information, there is a problem that the storage area is wasted.

  Therefore, the present invention saves image information not related to the accident as much as possible in the storage area of the drive recorder device, and saves more image information about the accident before and after the accident so that the accident analysis can be performed quickly. An object is to provide a simple drive recorder device.

  The drive recorder device of the present invention is photographed by a photographing means for photographing the periphery of the own vehicle, an approach detecting means for capturing an object approaching the own vehicle, a collision detecting means for detecting a collision with the own vehicle, and a photographing means. A drive recorder device comprising a storage means for storing video, wherein each of the photographing means for photographing the periphery of the host vehicle is compared with a first photographing mode for performing normal photographing and a first photographing mode. It is possible to switch to the second shooting mode for performing more detailed shooting, and when the approach detection means catches an approaching object, switching from the first shooting mode to the second shooting mode is performed. While the determination condition is satisfied, the video shot in the second shooting mode is stored in the first storage unit, transferred to the second storage unit, stored, and saved, and then the first Shooting in the shooting mode Was image, characterized in that it is stored in the first storage means.

  According to the present invention, there is an effect that more detailed image information related to the accident can be stored before and after the occurrence of the accident.

  In addition, according to the present invention, image information that is not related to an accident is not stored as much as possible, so that it is possible to eliminate useless image information.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a drive recorder apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a drive recorder device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a front camera 11 that captures a landscape of a predetermined area in front of the vehicle and a right camera 12 that captures a landscape of a predetermined area on the right side of the vehicle. And a rear camera 13 that captures a landscape in a predetermined area behind the vehicle, a left camera 14 that captures a landscape in a predetermined area on the left side of the vehicle, a control unit 10 that controls each part, and a plurality of cameras. A divided video forming unit 15 that writes video in a predetermined area of the image memory, a compression unit 16 that compresses video written in the image memory, and a GPS 18 that detects a vehicle position (GPS is a global positioning system: a global positioning system) However, here, the vehicle position detection unit using GPS or the like is simply referred to as GPS), and the captured video data is always used. A buffer memory 19 that stores time and overwrites sequentially with new data, a storage memory 20 that stores only necessary data and does not lose stored information even when the power is turned off, and a vehicle having the drive recorder device 100 from the outside An approach detection sensor 17 for detecting an object to be detected, and a collision detection sensor 21 for detecting a collision with a vehicle having the drive recorder device 100 from the outside.

  The control unit 10 controls each unit of the drive recorder device 100, and includes a timer to perform time management and synchronization management of each unit.

  The divided image forming unit 15 synchronizes the images captured by the front camera 11, the right camera 12, the rear camera 13, and the left camera 14 with a reference signal input from the control unit 10 in a predetermined image memory. It is written in the area. Specifically, a video of a camera that captures an object approaching the vehicle having the drive recorder device 100 and an object during or after the collision is combined and written in a predetermined area of the image memory.

  The compression unit 16 compresses the divided video formed in the divided video forming unit 15 and written in the image memory to reduce the data amount.

  The GPS 18 detects the vehicle position of the vehicle having the drive recorder device 100.

  The buffer memory 19 is a memory that temporarily stores the divided video that is formed in the divided video forming unit 15 and compressed by the compression unit 16, has a buffering structure, stores a certain amount of divided video, The old information is updated to the latest information sequentially.

  The storage memory 20 is a storage unit that does not lose stored information even if the data stored in the buffer memory 19 is transferred and the power is turned off based on certain conditions.

  The approach detection sensor 17 detects an object approaching the vehicle having the drive recorder device 100. Specifically, the front camera 11, the right camera 12, the rear camera 13, and the left camera 14 take a picture. Since the captured image is analyzed and the approaching object is detected, it is possible to detect from which direction the object has approached.

  The collision detection sensor 21 detects a collision applied to the vehicle having the drive recorder device 100 from the outside. In particular, the collision detection sensor 21 detects an impact when an external vehicle makes a rear-end collision or contact.

  FIG. 2 schematically shows shooting areas of the front camera 51, the right camera 52, the rear camera 53, and the left camera 54 of the drive recorder apparatus 100. The four cameras can photograph 360 degrees around the vehicle 50 having the drive recorder device 100. In the embodiment, four cameras are used, but the number of cameras may be more or less than four as long as 360 degrees around the vehicle 50 can be photographed.

  Next, the operation of the drive recorder device 100 in the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 3 is a first flowchart showing the operation of the drive recorder apparatus 100 in the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 3, first, when the engine of the vehicle 50 is started by the engine key, the present system is activated (step S301), and the front camera 11, the right camera 12, the rear camera 13, and the left camera are activated. 14 is started, and an area around the vehicle 50 is imaged (step S302).

  Next, the approach detection sensor 17 determines whether there is an object approaching the vehicle 50 (step S303). Here, the video of the camera in which the approaching object is not photographed is discarded (step S304).

  If there is an object approaching the vehicle 50 in step S303, the divided image forming unit 15 uses the image captured by the camera capturing the approaching object as a reference signal input from the control unit 10. The data is written in a predetermined area of the image memory in synchronization (step S305). Note that the shooting mode at this time is switched from the normal shooting mode to a shooting mode in which more detailed shooting can be performed. Here, the normal shooting mode and the more detailed shooting mode will be described. For example, in the normal shooting mode, if the video is captured at intervals of 2 to 3 seconds, the more detailed shooting mode is 0.5. It is set to be performed at intervals of seconds. The video capture interval is arbitrarily set according to the performance of the drive recorder device.

  The divided image formed by the divided image forming unit 15 is compressed and processed by the compression unit 16, and vehicle position information detected by the GPS 18 and time information of a timer built in the control unit 10 are given to the buffer. It is stored in the memory 19 (S306). The buffer memory 19 has a ring buffer structure, and is a memory that sequentially updates the oldest information to the latest information. Therefore, the latest video within a certain time is always stored.

  Next, a signal input from the collision detection sensor 21 is detected, and a signal greater than or equal to a predetermined value is input from the collision detection sensor 21, thereby determining that the vehicle 50 has collided with an object such as another vehicle (step S307). ). If it is determined that the rear-end collision has occurred, transfer of stored information from the buffer memory 19 to the storage memory 20 is started (step S308). Thereafter, after a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of transfer (determined in step S309), the transfer to the storage memory 20 is stopped (step S310).

  FIG. 4 is a second flowchart showing the operation of the drive recorder apparatus 100 in the present embodiment.

  If it is determined in step S307 that the vehicle 50 has collided with an object such as another vehicle, transfer of stored information from the buffer memory 19 to the storage memory 20 is started, but at the same time, an approaching object is detected. Start capturing video from an uncaptured camera. (Step S401).

  Then, the divided video forming unit 15 writes the video shot by the camera in a predetermined area of the image memory in synchronization with the reference signal input from the control unit 10. Here, all the camera images are targeted, and the shooting mode at this time is all the normal shooting mode (S402).

  Next, the divided image formed by the divided image forming unit 15 is compressed and processed by the compression unit 16, and is given vehicle position information detected by the GPS 18 and time information of a timer built in the control unit 10. Is stored in the buffer memory 19 (S403).

  When step S310 and step S403 are reached, the video in the buffer memory 19 and the storage memory 20 is stored in another storage medium, and the system is started again from step S301.

  As described above, image information that is not related to the accident is not stored as much as possible in the storage area of the drive recorder device, and more image information about the accident before and after the accident can be stored. Therefore, since only the images related to the rear-end collision of the surroundings of the vehicle before and after the rear-end collision are stored, the characteristics of the vehicle such as the vehicle type, car color, license plate, etc. It can be used to identify the vehicle that caused it, and further, the cause of the accident can be quickly clarified.

The block diagram of a drive recorder apparatus. The figure explaining the imaging | photography range of a vehicle-mounted camera. The figure of the 1st flowchart which shows operation | movement of a drive recorder apparatus. The figure of the 2nd flowchart which shows operation | movement of a drive recorder apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Control part 11 Front camera 12 Right camera 13 Back camera 14 Left camera 15 Division | segmentation image formation part 16 Compression part 17 Approach detection sensor 18 GPS
19 Buffer Memory 20 Storage Memory 21 Collision Detection Sensor 50 Vehicle 51 Front Camera 52 Right Camera 53 Rear Camera 54 Left Camera 100 Drive Recorder Device

Claims (4)

Photographing means for photographing the periphery of the own vehicle;
An approach detection means for capturing an object approaching the host vehicle;
A collision detection means for detecting a collision with the host vehicle;
Storage means for storing video taken by the photographing means;
A drive recorder device comprising:
Each of the photographing means for photographing the periphery of the own vehicle can be switched between a first photographing mode for performing normal photographing and a second photographing mode for performing more detailed photographing compared to the first photographing mode. And when the approach detection means captures an approaching object, switching from the first shooting mode to the second shooting mode is performed,
While the predetermined determination condition is satisfied, the video shot in the second shooting mode is stored in the first storage unit, then transferred to the second storage unit, stored and saved, and thereafter The drive recorder apparatus characterized in that an image shot in the first shooting mode is stored in the first storage means. The drive recorder device according to claim 1,
The drive recorder apparatus characterized in that the predetermined determination condition is satisfied is a case where the approach detection unit catches an approaching object and the collision detection unit detects a collision. The drive recorder device according to claim 1 or 2,
The video shot in the second shooting mode while the predetermined determination condition is satisfied is a video shot by the shooting unit having an area where the approach detection unit detects an object as a shooting range. Features a drive recorder device. The drive recorder device according to claim 1, wherein
The video shot in the first shooting mode while the predetermined determination condition is satisfied is a video shot by the shooting means for shooting the periphery of the host vehicle after the collision detection means detects a collision. A drive recorder device characterized by being.

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